JPS587562A - Sample distributor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable effective distribution of a sample into a plurality of reactor vessels by arranging two groups of distribution nozzles with multiple nozzles and a mechanism for having those nozzles inserted into and removed from a sample vessel simultaneously. CONSTITUTION:A sample distributor 49 is arranged on the opposite side almost to the center of a turn table 42 with respect to a converying course 46. Nozzles 50 of the sample distributor 49 are communicated to a suction/drain device through a tube 51. The sample distributor 49 is so constructed that four nozzles 50 are inserted into one sample vessel while blocks 58 and 59 each have four nozzles. Then, nozzle retaining sections 60-63 are put together and the nozzles 50 are inserted into the reactor vessel 44, while being kept sucked. Ths enable sample to be distributed into a plurality of reactor vessels efficiently.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a multi-item automatic analyzer for biochemical analysis, and particularly to a sample dispensing device that improves its throughput.

Multi-item automatic analyzers that perform biochemical analyzes of blood and the like have become increasingly larger in recent years due to the increase in the number of samples to be processed.

Therefore, in such a multi-item automatic analyzer, multiple reaction lines are provided in order to speed up the analysis processing speed and improve throughput, and the sample is simultaneously separated from the sample container to the reaction containers on the multiple reaction lines. Note:

As a device for simultaneously dispensing samples into reaction containers, for example, multiple sample suction nozzles are inserted into one sample container to aspirate the amount of sample required for each analysis item at the same time. There are some that dispense into reaction vessels at the same time. However, in such a device, it is difficult to insert the T into the sample container.
The number of nozzles used is determined by the thickness of the nozzles and the size of the sample container.

In addition, as the number of nozzles increases, it may not be possible to insert all the nozzles into the sample container, or the nozzles may attach to the side wall of the sample container and lift the sample container from its holder. The maximum number of nozzles that can be inserted at one time is 5 mm.

Therefore, there is a limit to the processing capacity for the number of specimens.

Another example of dispensing samples into multiple reaction containers at the same time is shown in FIG. A large number of sample containers 2 connected in a chain at regular intervals are distributed on the sides of a plurality of parallel reaction lines l, and the sample is placed above the sample container at the sample suction position. The nozzles 3 are attached to the nozzle holder L with the same dimensions as the spacing between the R material containers. - When the sample container into which the sample has been dispensed comes to the sample suction position, the support column holding the nozzle holder is lowered, and each of the nozzle J is immersed in the sample in the sample container λ, and the place is measured. After aspirating the sample and raising the column S, the nozzle holder is rotated in the direction of arrow a until each nozzle is positioned above the corresponding reaction vessel.

After dispensing, each nozzle is cleaned and returned to the sample container for one cycle. During this time, the sample container and each reaction line are transported by one pitch. In addition, as yet another example of dispensing samples into multiple reaction vessels at one time, there is
There is one shown in the o-1sin Ko publication. According to this publication, as shown in FIG. 2(a), a large number of sample containers 2 connected in a chain at regular intervals are arranged on the sides of a plurality of reaction lines 1, for example. two arms 1
．． 1 is provided with the same number of nozzles as the number of reaction lines. This arm 1.9 constitutes a link mechanism together with levers lθ, //, /J, and 1f! As shown in Fig. λ (Ta), when the sample is sucked from the sample container J, the spring 13 closes A, D, but as shown in Fig. When arm r and 9 are rotated in the direction of arrow A and the reaction line and turret are perpendicular to each other, arm 9 is rotated by link lσ, // , /2 by bearing /j and its fixed cam /4, which are tl-long on arm t. The arm r is moved parallel to the arm r against the spring 13 by a link mechanism, so that the nozzles provided on the arm l and the arm 9, respectively, are positioned on each reaction vessel in the reaction line. Therefore the second v! The arm t is attached to each of the plurality of sample containers at the sample suction position shown in J(a).

After inserting the two nozzles No. 9 and aspirating the sample,
As shown in ] in the figure, arm ff, 9 is moved above the reaction vessels, and samples are simultaneously dispensed into the two reaction vessels of each reaction line. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the sample containers at the sample suction position are A, B, O, D, and E, respectively.

With F and T, each sample can be simultaneously dispensed into the reaction vessels in the range indicated by hard disk C using such a dispensing device. As shown in the figure, each reaction line advances by 2 pitches and the sample containers advance by 2 pitches, so that the same sample is dispensed stepwise into each reaction container. The dispensing apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 achieves high throughput while reducing the number of nozzles inserted into the sample container by simultaneously sucking the sample from the sample container on multiple sides. However, as the number of samples to be aspirated at the same time increases, the nozzle holder and arm for holding the nozzle become longer, and the space for rotating them must also become larger, resulting in an increase in the size of the apparatus. On the other hand, advances in analysis technology have led to the miniaturization of samples and reagents, and in order to meet this V requirement, reaction vessels have been made smaller and the length of the nozzle holder and arm has increased relative to the number of sample containers to be aspirated at the same time. It is possible to suppress the However, there is a limit to how small sample containers can be made in terms of operability, and the size of sample containers and the spacing between them still limit the overall size of the device and are an obstacle to miniaturization.

In addition, when immersing the nozzle in the sample liquid and aspirating a predetermined amount of sample, the insertion depth of the nozzle should be determined based on the amount of drop in the liquid level, since the liquid level of the sample in the sample container falls when the sample is aspirated. By making the nozzle slightly deeper, the area where the nozzle is contaminated by the sample is minimized, contamination with other samples is minimized, and analysis accuracy is stabilized. However, when multiple nozzles are installed integrally on a nozzle holder or arm, the level of the sample in each sample container is not constant, so the nozzle insertion depth must be adjusted so that all nozzles can always aspirate a predetermined amount of sample. Take the sample to near the bottom of the container,
The depth is set to be much deeper than the optimum value. Therefore, if contamination increases because the nozzle is contaminated with the sample more than necessary, the nozzle cleaning device is larger than the sample dispensing device that detects the liquid IiY and inserts the nozzle to the required depth. It also has the disadvantage of being complicated.

Generally speaking, in such an apparatus, for a particular sample as shown in Figure 3, it takes at least as many steps as the number of reaction lines to finish dispensing all the analysis items. is required, and the dispensing position of that specific sample is stair-shaped as shown in the figure. In such a device, measurements after a certain period of time are carried out for each reaction vessel in the same row in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of each reaction line, so it takes a long time at the time of dispensing to complete the measurement of all items for a particular sample. The same number of steps will be required.

There are various formats for outputting measurement results, but generally each analysis item for a sample is output as a group. Therefore, when outputting measurement results using this method, with the dispensing device shown in Figures 1 and 3, you have to wait a long time until the measurement values for all items are completed, and the final measurement value is not obtained. This method requires a storage device to store previously measured measurement data, which has the disadvantage of complicating the device.

In addition, as a device for dispensing samples into reaction containers of Ill number of reaction lines, Tokko Sho! No. 10-/71r7/, there is one described in the publication. According to this publication, as shown in Figure 1, the sample required for the analysis item of vIIIr is aspirated at once with a nozzle, and the amount required for the analysis item is transferred in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of each reaction line, that is, Reaction vessel n&
2. Several sample containers n are stored on the circumference of a rotatable sample disk 2, and the sample containers n are sequentially transported to the sample suction position.Each reaction A sample disk 2 is placed on one side of the transport direction of the line 1. The nozzle It's like T.

Further, the rails is pivotally connected to the piston cylinder assembly l via the fulcrum d, and the piston cylinder assembly y is rotatably connected to the device main body 31 via the fulcrum, so that the rails rotates as shown by the broken line T. can be moved to the V material suction position of sample disk 2#. According to such a dispensing device with a -component, the amount of the sample in the sample container transported to the sample suction position is aspirated at once to be discharged into the reaction container of each reaction line, and the railm is drawn as a solid line. After returning to the position indicated by , a predetermined amount of sample corresponding to the analysis item is sequentially discharged into each reaction vessel n. In this way nozzle 7
An apparatus that dispenses samples manually into each reaction vessel cannot increase throughput because it takes a long time to dispense. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when dispensing operations are performed many times with one nozzle, the dispensing amount X decreases as the number of dispensing increases, and the standard deviation SD of the repeatability of the dispensing amount increases. T
This has the drawback of causing variations in the amount dispensed, which adversely affects the analytical data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and provide a sample dispensing device suitably configured to efficiently dispense samples into reaction vessels in a multi-item automatic analyzer in a short time. The present invention includes two dispensing nozzle groups each having a number of dispensing nozzles, and each of these two nozzle groups being inserted into each of two sample containers at the same time. a transport mechanism for moving each nozzle of the nozzle group in the transport direction of each reaction line onto the reaction vessels of the same number of membranes at the same position; and at least one of these transport mechanisms. and a nozzle movement mechanism that moves the nozzle in the transport direction of the sample containers according to the interval between the two sample containers so that each nozzle group is always placed above each sample container. Insert the nozzles at the same time and aspirate the sample.
This system is characterized in that it is configured to dispense a sample into 11 reaction vessels.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view showing the configuration of an example of a multi-item automatic analyzer to which the sample dispensing device according to the present invention is applied. On one side of the multi-item automatic analyzer Q, there is a turntable 12 that accommodates a large number of reaction vessels 1'/ in a concentric manner, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow by a drive mechanism (not shown). The reaction vessel 41/ constitutes a plurality of concentric reaction lines. A rack rack 5 that stores multiple sample containers facing the center of the turntable.
A transport path is provided, and a sending side rack storage section p is formed upstream of the transport path, and a receiving side rack storage section 9 is formed downstream of the transport path.

The rack j has a recess on its side surface that corresponds to the center of multiple sample containers to be accommodated, and a transport mechanism (not shown) inserts and removes protrusions into these four parts to place one sample in sequence from the first material container to the sample suction position. It is designed to hold customer equipment.

The sample dispensing device is located on the opposite side of the transport path from the center of the turntable. Place 419. The nozzle Sθ of the reagent dispensing device cape is connected to a suction/discharge device (not shown) via a tube 3/. A sample tank 52 for storing various samples is provided below the turntable 4+2, and a reagent pump S3 disposed to the right of the reagent dispensing device is used to feed the tube S4.
Various reagents can be discharged into the reaction vessel through the reaction vessel. A colorimeter 55 is provided to the left of the reagent dispensing device.

According to the multi-item automatic analyzer with such a configuration, when the sample is placed in the sample container, the rack #S is set in the rack storage part p, and the apparatus is started, the rack 4IS is sequentially used to aspirate the sample in the sample dispensing device @119. transported to the location. The sample dispensing device dispenses a predetermined amount of the sample from the sample container into each reaction vessel 4I/ according to the analysis item. The sample is transferred to the reaction vessel into which the sample has been dispensed, and a reagent according to the analysis item is dispensed by the reagent pump 5/. The sample and reagent are stirred in a stirring section, and after a certain period of time has elapsed in a constant temperature state, colorimetric measurements are performed by a colorimeter 53, and the results are output to an output device (not shown). The rack where all samples were dispensed is stored in the rack!
sent to lSg.

FIG. 7(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an example of the sample dispensing device shown in FIG.
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along Ill. The sample dispensing device culm is configured to insert two A/30 nozzles into two sample containers, and each one is pulled! I, j? It has a beam nozzle. The horizontal movement of the nozzle is shown in Fig. 7, which indicates the @d1 state of the sample where the nozzles of the block jl beam are collectively located on the sample container, and the block! 9 shows the state in which each nozzle is located on the reaction vessel 41/ and discharges the sample.

The two nozzles y are provided together at one corner of the holding parts 60, 4/4, 4J, and 43, respectively, so that they can be inserted into the sample containers. These holding parts 60-43 are in contact with each other in the suction g1 state to constitute seven assemblies. Further, the holding parts 60 to 63 are held by blocks sr and s through shafts 6da, 6j, 67, respectively. Axis 4j, J7
is hollow, and each gore shaft 6 is disposed inside thereof, and ≦4 are slidably arranged therein. block! A pinion shaft tr is provided inside the rims r and j in six directions perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 7(a).

In addition, a rack i is attached to the shaft 441 in blocks sr and sq.
Cut out the shaft of this part and make the pinion shaft ≦l and shaft 44.
' Make sure the racks are engaged. Stoppers 70, 7/, 7, and 73 are fixed to the other ends of the shafts 6D to 4T, respectively, and the stoppers 70 extend laterally and loosely fit onto the shafts 6B.

Further, a stopper 7II is fixed between the stopper 70 and the stopper 73 of the shaft 6B. Stopper 70 on the outside of shaft 6q
A spring 7j is inserted between the stopper 7 and the spring 7, and a spring 76 is inserted between the stopper 70 and the stopper 7 on the outside of the shaft 4.
A spring 77 is inserted between the stopper 741 and the stopper 73.

block! If, j? As shown in FIG. 7), the racks are supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction along guide shafts 71 and 79, respectively, and racks 101r/ are provided on their sides, and are connected to motors R and tJ, respectively. each gear t
Make it move up and down by y and rs.

Block motor l≦ with two flexible tubes tr via distributor t7! I, j? Connect to the pinion shaft 1st. One end of the guide shaft 7t that vertically passes through the block sr is fixed to a hollow cylindrical slider 19, and this slider is slidably fitted to a horizontal shaft 9/ fixed to a pedestal 90 of the sample dispensing device. The other end of the guide shaft 7t is fixed to a nut 9, and the nut 9 is rotated by a motor 93 with respect to the frame O and meshed with a wooden shaft fixed horizontally.

The operation of the sample dispensing device having such a configuration will be explained. Collect the nozzle holding parts tθ~3 to form the nozzle A/
Put s0 in suction state and motor! - Rotate the gear r and block! Lower t and insert the nozzle into the sample container at the sample g & pull position. Similarly, when the nozzle of block j is in the suction state, motor II and gear r! ,
The nozzle can be inserted into the sample container by moving the block j9 up and down using the rack I/. Here, a predetermined amount of sample to be dispensed is aspirated. When the reaction container to be dispensed is at the sample dispensing position, rotate the motor 11 to block s.
Rotate the pinion shaft 6j of r and s de. The Beon shaft 41 engages with a rack provided on the shaft 6da to move the holding part 60 onto the outermost reaction vessel. Therefore, the stopper 70 fixed to the shaft 11 is a spring 7! through the stopper 71
is pressed to transfer the shaft 6j1 and therefore the nozzle of the holding part 6/ from the outermost side onto the reaction vessel of the columnar shape. Furthermore, stopper 7
0 presses the stopper 7q via the spring 76, and the shaft 6
6 and the shaft 66 presses the stopper 73 via the spring 77 and presses the shaft ≦7, so the holding parts 6 and 63 are pressed, respectively.
It is also transferred onto the third reaction vessel from the outermost side. When each holding part is transferred onto the reaction vessel in this manner, the sample is discharged into each reaction vessel by a suction/discharge device (not shown). In addition, the block sr rotates the motor 93 to move the nut 92 in the direction of the double arrow d.
t also moves left and right guided by the slider tq. Therefore block jl and block! The distance between D and D can be changed to a predetermined value. In this way, by providing two nozzles in each block, the nozzles of each bottle can be inserted into the sample container at the same time, so that the suction 51 and dispensing of the sample can be carried out independently for each block.

The samples analyzed by automatic analyzers include not only general samples, but also calibration samples to calibrate the device before or during analysis, quality control samples to check the analytical accuracy of the analyzer, and general samples. In addition to these, there are several other types of samples that require urgent attention. The analyzer needs to collect 111111 ml of these several types of samples and output the analysis results in a format suitable for the sample. This sample recognition method includes a method of direct recognition using a sample container and a method of recognition using a rack that accommodates the sample container. The latter method includes optical, mechanical, electromagnetic, etc.
Optical or electromagnetic methods are often adopted from the viewpoint of reliability.

#It diagram (a) and 0) is #! 9 is a plan view and a side view showing the configuration of an example of the rack shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an enlarged end portion of the rack shown in FIG. 1.

Regular intervals on rectangular rack #j! and store four sample containers a to a6. Ratsukuji! The distance between the tip differential and the seventh sample container a6 is θ, and the distance between the rear end of the rack S and the seventh sample container a6 is . fs
9. The tip of the rack as shown in Figure 9? Five chambers 99 are formed in 7, and magnets 100 are accommodated in these chambers 99 depending on the type of sample. Although the magnet may be provided anywhere on the rack, it is preferable to provide it at the tip 97 of the rack in order to make the rack compact. According to the rack having such a configuration, the type of sample can be recognized by the combination of the positions of the magnets. Furthermore, the sample level may vary depending on the sample container. In the figure, the sample levels in sample containers a and a2 differ by h. Therefore, a liquid level detection mechanism may be provided for each block shown in FIG. 7 so that the nozzle is always immersed in the sample at a constant insertion depth. The dispensing of the sample from such a rack to each reaction container on the turntable 6 is carried out by the seventh
As shown in Figure 7, when the rack sent along the rack transport path reaches the sample suction position, the sample is delivered to each reaction vessel on the turntable P by the sample dispensing position culm shown in Figure 7. Dispense. In the sample dispensing device shown in Figure I7, the sample container transport mechanism is controlled so that the sample container a3 is positioned at the sample @ nail position of the nozzle of the fixed block j9, and at this time the movable block sr is moved. The suction position can be made to coincide with the adjacent sample container a. Fig. 1 σ shows the case of time dispensing between one item, and three reaction lines are formed on the turntable q at intervals of a circumferential circular pitch P. The number of each reaction vessel is represented by N1j. The subscript 1 represents the sample number, and j represents the item number. In the figure, sample a is on rack 10/.

Dispensing is performed for the reaction vessels with item numbers j-l and /N1 for a4 and a4, respectively.

After this dispensing is completed, the turntable rotates by a pitch in the direction B, and the rack 10/ moves in the direction B by the sample interval l. As the dispensing progresses in this way, when sample container a6 of rack 10/ and sample container a of rack 10.2 are transported to the sample suction position, the distance between these containers a6 and a is! , (lEero1-)-f) is normal! Because of the larger size, the sample container cannot move accurately below the nozzle at the sample suction position. Here, the magnet 100 at the tip of the rack is detected, and a control device (not shown) moves the block sr shown in FIG. 7 by a predetermined amount in the direction of the double arrow d according to the sample.
Even in this case, the nozzle should be positioned above the sample container a. After dispensing these sample containers a and a6,
Return block jl in the figure to its original position and dispense into each reaction container on the turntable. Therefore, when dispensing simultaneously from sample containers in different racks, the nozzle must always be moved over the sample container depending on the type of sample.

The sample dispensed into the reaction container is stirred with the reagent, and after the reaction has proceeded for a certain period of time, the sample is simultaneously measured with the colorimeter S.
S is simultaneously measured and output to an output device (not shown).

As is clear from the above description, according to the sample dispensing device according to the present invention, a large number of nozzles are inserted into seven sample containers,
Samples can be simultaneously dispensed into each reaction container at the same position in the transport direction on multiple reaction lines, and the spacing from other nozzle groups can be adjusted by grouping multiple nozzles inserted into sample containers. Therefore, it has the following effects.

(1) The entire device is smaller than a sample dispensing device that holds a large number of nozzles with an arm or nozzle holder and pipes the sample by rotating these arms or nozzle holders between the sample container and the reaction container. Since the number of nozzles can be further increased, processing capacity can be improved.

(2) Since one sample can be dispensed into multiple reaction containers at the same time, multiple analysis results for a specific sample can be measured colorimetrically at the same time, all measurement results can be obtained in a short time, and the measurement data can be stored. I don't need it.

(3) Since the insertion depth of the nozzle group inserted into the seven sample containers can be controlled for each individual sample container, contamination can be kept to a minimum and analysis accuracy can be improved. can.

(4) Since the spacing between the nozzle groups is changed according to the spacing between the sample containers, the degree of freedom in designing the rack that accommodates the sample containers is increased.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an example of a dispensing device of a conventional multi-item automatic analyzer, and FIG. Diagram illustrating the configuration, Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating dispensing by the dispensing device shown in Figure 2, and #I41 is yet another example of the dispensing device of a conventional multi-item automatic analyzer. Figure 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the standard deviation of the amount dispensed and its repeatability when dispensing a sample multiple times with seven nozzles.
The figure is a perspective view showing the configuration of an example of a multi-item automatic analyzer to which the sample dispensing device according to the present invention is applied, and FIG.
A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an example of the sample dispensing device shown in the figure, a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 7(a),
Figures (a) and Φ) are a plan view and a side view showing the configuration of an example of the rack shown in Figure 6v4, Figure 9 is a sectional view showing an enlarged end of the rack shown in Figure 1, and Figure 1QwJI. :
7 is a diagram for explaining sample dispensing using the rack shown in FIG. 9 and the sample dispensing device shown in FIG. 7; FIG. V...Multi-item automatic analyzer, -C...Reaction container, C...
...Turntable, matter...sample container, sample S...rack, -...E material dispensing 1! Place, y...nozzle,! !
, ! ? ...Pu4tsuk, 4da, go! , 44,
47... Axis, Bl... Binion axis, Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Procedural amendment dated 12th r/1980 1, Indication of the case 1981 Patent application No. 1 ost 41t Z Name of the invention Sample dispensing device 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Case Patent applicant (037) Olympus Optical Industries Co., Ltd. Corrected as shown in the correction diagram. Figure 1 Figure 7 (b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] L: a set of dispensing nozzle groups each having a plurality of dispensing nozzles; a mechanism for simultaneously inserting and removing each of these two nozzle groups into and from each of two sample containers; Two sets of transfer mechanisms that transfer each nozzle of the nozzle group onto a plurality of reaction vessels located at the same position with respect to the conveyance direction of each reaction line, and at least one of these transfer mechanisms are connected to a sample vessel of λI. It is equipped with a nozzle moving mechanism that moves the sample containers in the transport direction according to the interval so that each nozzle group is always on each sample container, and inserts the same number of nozzles into the two sample containers at the same time to transfer the sample. Aspirate and dispense the sample into a reaction container with IW number T
1. A sample dispensing device characterized in that it is configured so that π. 'b@ period sample containers are housed in a plurality of racks, the racks are provided with means for determining the spacing between the sample containers, and the nozzle moving mechanism is controlled in accordance with this means. The sample dispensing device according to item 1.